Farmers Movement Archive

Bathinda MC prepares blueprint for using assets of defunct thermal plant

Blurb: Plans to spend ₹1.5 crore on connecting three water reservoirs of the plant with the city’s main waterworks stationBATHINDA Notwithstanding a strong political opposition against the state government’s announcement of closing down Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP), the Bathinda municipal corporation has prepared a blueprint to use assets of the defunct power project.According to the plan chalked out by the local body, a sum of ₹1.5 crore will be spent to connect three large water reservoirs of GNDTP with the main waterworks station near Joggers Park here.The three man-made water bodies, spread over 164 acres, previously part of the power generation process, are now tipped to be used for additional storage of canal water for supply to the city households.Bathinda depends upon water supply from Bathinda branch of Sirhind canal. Municipal commissioner Bikram Shergill on Sunday said the proposal to use lakes will be beneficial for the city.“As per the plan, water from the defunct power facility lakes will be flown to the waterworks site through a pipe. If needed, water treatment will be installed at these lakes for better supply management,” said the official.Ever since the government announced to put a curtain on the power plant that was established in 1974, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), employees of state power department and various factions of Bhartiya Kisan Unions have been protesting against the decision. They demand the revival of the facility.Finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who also represents Bathinda (urban) assembly segment, has invited political wrath for backtracking on his pre-poll stand of reviving the plant. For a population estimated 3.5 lakh, Bathinda has 53,510 registered water subscribers. Sources say GNDTP’s lakes have a water holding capacity of 500MGD and it will be beneficial in the long term.Officials say when the canal is closed for maintenance for 20-days each before sowing of kharif and rabi crops, water supply time gets half to two hours in a day.Former SAD legislator from Bathinda Sarup Chand Singla said the city had never witnessed a crisis-like situation and the existing public water system has enough capacity to meet the demand.“Manpreet is trying to deviate public attention from the closure of power plant and plan to dismantle chimneys which are a landmark of development of the neglected part of south Malwa,” he said.

Hindustan Times

05-07-2020

City